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the idiocy of 33 available shutter speed dial positions for M


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why these useless/convoluted shutter speed dials with "1/2 speed in between" click stops ?

The shutter speed dial has become a ratchet wheel.

_____________________________________________________________

 

when I started shooting Leica M

I first learned which direction to focus the lens

then which direction to stop down the lens

then which direction to go up and down the shutter speed dial

ALL WITHOUT LOOKING !

 

 

 

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Yeah they really should have it click in 1/3rd stops by now.  ;-)   Perhaps you'd like to consider that a lot has changed in cameras over the years. Especially the way many people want to use them.

Edited by AlanG
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Which Leica does that?

Well the digital Leica's have half stops.

 

I suppose it's because it's possible to do it accurately with electronic shutters, and that exposure is more critical for digital imaging. It also means that if you want a set aperture, the best optically or the widest, there is another option to setting the correct exposure. So that's three reasons I thought of in ten seconds, so why couldn't the OP take a bit longer to think before posting?

 

 

Steve

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Hello Mark,

 

Welcome to the Forum.

 

Many mechanical "M" film cameras as well as the mechanical Leicaflexes have had variable shutters going back to the 1900's.

 

With the above mentioned variable shutter cameras: James's 1/148th of a second, just above, was already an available everyday occurrence back in the last Century.*

 

* There are a small number of "gaps" where some intermediate speeds are not usable.

 

The current cameras may have a larger number of specific "click" positions between whole stop speed settings. This may be to facilitate electrical contact between the shutter speed wheel & the circuits. This does not necessarily mean that these more recent cameras have more available intermediate positions than some of their predecessors.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

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  • 1 month later...

why these useless/convoluted shutter speed dials with "1/2 speed in between" click stops ?

The shutter speed dial has become a ratchet wheel.

_____________________________________________________________

 

when I started shooting Leica M

I first learned which direction to focus the lens

then which direction to stop down the lens

then which direction to go up and down the shutter speed dial

ALL WITHOUT LOOKING !

 

 

1/2 stop shutter speeds seem no more idiotic than 1/2 stop aperture settings on the lenses.  JMHO...

 

 

Absolutely Mr Danger!

With one's eye to the viewfinder, moving 4 clicks on the lens aperture now equals 4 clicks on the shutter wheel!

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This thread makes me think of the saying 'the Devil makes work for idle hands'. If the shutter speed dial of what is still a simple camera causes so many problems just buy a polishing cloth and leave photography to somebody else.

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Hello Pebbles,

 

Your observation just above in Post #16 is interesting because the reason DIN numbers are a 3 number increase being equal to a 1 F stop increase (ISO100/21DIN - ISO200/24DIN - ISO400/27DIN).

 

Is:

 

Using standard B&W negative development techniques: 1/3 of a stop of difference in exposure is the least amount of exposure difference that can be seen as different in a B&W negative when it is being looked at by most people.

 

Best Regards,

 

Michael

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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I remain to be convinced that a half stop difference in exposure is visible in the final print.

 

Half a stop difference shouldn't be evident in the final print because the final print shouldn't be the plain vanilla image that comes out of the camera. Any photographer who dares label themselves with the word should do some work with the image before it becomes 'final'.

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